The Antarctic Treaty

Antarctic Treaty Jigsaw Reading Activity
• Divide participants into small, heterogeneous groups of four.
• Each group should select one person to be the leader.
• Divide the articles between the groups and assign each group member one
segment to read.
• Distribute recording sheets to group members so they can take notes.
• Give the group members time to read their segments.
• Form “expert groups” and have the “expert groups” discuss the main points of
their segment.
• Have participants move back into their jigsaw groups and present his or her
segment.
• Other group members should ask clarifying questions.
• Reconvene as a whole group to discuss findings and clarify any questions.
Teacher Notes:
A jigsaw activity is a group activity in which each member is dependent on the others for
part of the information. In other words, in order to complete a task, group members must
cooperate.
A reading passage is divided into four or five parts. (Make sure each part of the text can
be read and understood independently.)
The class is divided into groups of four pupils, called EXPERT groups. Each expert
group is given one part of the text to learn. The purpose of these groups is to enable
learners to help each other study the material.
The pupils are then redivided into HOME groups. Each home group has representatives
from each of the expert groups. Each member of the group now teaches and shares
his/her part of the text with the rest of the home group. The time given to the "sharing"
phase depends on the difficulty and length of the material. Pupils must not show their part
of the text, but must present it orally.
From: Alan Maley, Penguin English, 1993.

The Antarctic Treaty (1959)
The Governments of Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile, the French Republic, Japan, New
Zealand, Norway, the Union of South Africa, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the United States of America,
Recognizing that it is in the interest of all mankind that Antarctica shall continue for ever to be
used exclusively for peaceful purposes and shall not become the scene or object of international
discord;
Acknowledging the substantial contributions to scientific knowledge resulting from international
cooperation in scientific investigation in Antarctica;
Convinced that the establishment of a firm foundation for the continuation and development of
such cooperation on the basis of freedom of scientific investigation in Antarctica as applied
during the International Geophysical Year accords with the interests of science and the progress
of all mankind;
Convinced also that a treaty ensuring the use of Antarctica for peaceful purposes only and the
continuance of international harmony in Antarctica will further the purposes and principles
embodied in the Charter of the United Nations;
Have agreed as follows:
Article I - Peaceful purposes
1. Antarctica shall be used for peaceful purposes only. There shall be prohibited, inter alia, any
measure of a military nature, such as the establishment of military bases and fortifications, the
carrying out of military manoeuvres, as well as the testing of any type of weapon.
2. The present Treaty shall not prevent the use of military personnel or equipment for scientific
research or for any other peaceful purpose.
Article II - Freedom of scientific investiation
Freedom of scientific investigation in Antarctica and cooperation toward that end, as applied
during the International Geophysical Year, shall continue, subject to the provisions of the present
Treaty.
Article III - International scientific cooperation
1. In order to promote international cooperation in scientific investigation in Antarctica, as
provided for in Article II of the present Treaty, the Contracting Parties agree that, to the greatest
extent feasible and practicable:
a. information regarding plans for scientific programs in Antarctica shall be exchanged to permit
maximum economy of and efficiency of operations;
b. scientific personnel shall be exchanged in Antarctica between expeditions and stations;
c. scientific observations and results from Antarctica shall be exchanged and made freely
available.

Article IV - Territorial sovereignty
1. Nothing contained in the present Treaty shall be interpreted as:
a. a renunciation by any Contracting Party of previously asserted rights of or claims to territorial
sovereignty in Antarctica;
b. a renunciation or diminution by any Contracting Party of any basis of claim to territorial
sovereignty in Antarctica which it may have whether as a result of its activities or those of its
nationals in Antarctica, or otherwise;
c. prejudicing the position of any Contracting Party as regards its recognition or non-recognition
of any other State‚s rights of or claim or basis of claim to territorial sovereignty in Antarctica.
2. No acts or activities taking place while the present Treaty is in force shall constitute a basis for
asserting, supporting or denying a claim to territorial sovereignty in Antarctica or create any
rights of sovereignty in Antarctica. No new claim, or enlargement of an existing claim, to
territorial sovereignty in Antarctica shall be asserted while the present Treaty is in force.
Article V - Nuclear activity
1. Any nuclear explosions in Antarctica and the disposal there of radioactive waste material shall
be prohibited.
2. In the event of the conclusion of international agreements concerning the use of nuclear
energy, including nuclear explosions and the disposal of radioactive waste material, to which all
of the Contracting Parties whose representatives are entitled to participate in the meetings
provided for under Article IX are parties, the rules established under such agreements shall apply
in Antarctica.
Article VI - Geographical coverage
The provisions of the present Treaty shall apply to the area south of 60° South Latitude,
including all ice shelves, but nothing in the present Treaty shall prejudice or in any way affect
the rights, or the exercise of the rights, of any State under international law with regard to the
high seas within that area.
Article VII - Inspections
1. In order to promote the objectives and ensure the observance of the provisions of the present
Treaty, each Contracting Party whose representatives are entitled to participate in the meetings
referred to in Article IX of the Treaty shall have the right to designate observers to carry out any
inspection provided for by the present Article. Observers shall be nationals of the Contracting
Parties which designate them. The names of observers shall be communicated to every other
Contracting Party having the right to designate observers, and like notice shall be given of the
termination of their appointment.
2. Each observer designated in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 1 of this Article shall
have complete freedom of access at any time to any or all areas of Antarctica.
3. All areas of Antarctica, including all stations, installations and equipment within those areas,
and all ships and aircraft at points of discharging or embarking cargoes or personnel in
Antarctica, shall be open at all times to inspection by any observers designated in accordance
with paragraph 1 of this Article.
4. Aerial observation may be carried out at any time over any or all areas of Antarctica by any of
the Contracting Parties having the right to designate observers.

5. Each Contracting Party shall, at the time when the present Treaty enters into force for it,
inform the other Contracting Parties, and thereafter shall give them notice in advance, of
a. all expeditions to and within Antarctica, on the part of its ships or nationals, and all
expeditions to Antarctica organized in or proceeding from its territory;
b. all stations in Antarctica occupied by its nationals; and
c. any military personnel or equipment intended to be introduced by it into Antarctica subject to
the conditions prescribed in paragraph 2 of Article I of the present Treaty.
Article VIII - Jurisdiction
1. In order to facilitate the exercise of their functions under the present Treaty, and without
prejudice to the respective positions of the Contracting Parties relating to jurisdiction over all
other persons in Antarctica, observers designated under paragraph 1 of Article VII and scientific
personnel exchanged under sub-paragraph 1(b) of Article III of the Treaty, and members of the
staffs accompanying any such persons, shall be subject only to the jurisdiction of the Contracting
Party of which they are nationals in respect of all acts or omissions occurring while they are in
Antarctica for the purpose of exercising their functions.
2. Without prejudice to the provisions of paragraph 1 of this Article, and pending the adoption of
measures in pursuance of subparagraph 1(e) of Article IX, the Contracting Parties concerned in
any case of dispute with regard to the exercise of jurisdiction in Antarctica shall immediately
consult together with a view to reaching a mutually acceptable solution.
Article IX - Treaty Meetings
1. Representatives of the Contracting Parties named in the preamble to the present Treaty shall
meet at the City of Canberra within two months after the date of entry into force of the Treaty,
and thereafter at suitable intervals and places, for the purpose of exchanging information,
consulting together on matters of common interest pertaining to Antarctica, and formulating and
considering, and recommending to their Governments, measures in furtherance of the principles
and objectives of the Treaty, including measures regarding:
a. use of Antarctica for peaceful purposes only;
b. facilitation of scientific research in Antarctica;
c. facilitation of international scientific cooperation in Antarctica;
d. facilitation of the exercise of the rights of inspection provided for in Article VII of the Treaty;
e. questions relating to the exercise of jurisdiction in Antarctica;
f. preservation and conservation of living resources in Antarctica.
2. Each Contracting Party which has become a party to the present Treaty by accession under
Article XIII shall be entitled to appoint representatives to participate in the meetings referred to
in paragraph 1 of the present Article, during such times as that Contracting Party demonstrates its
interest in Antarctica by conducting substantial research activity there, such as the establishment
of a scientific station or the despatch of a scientific expedition.
3. Reports from the observers referred to in Article VII of the present Treaty shall be transmitted
to the representatives of the Contracting Parties participating in the meetings referred to in
paragraph 1 of the present Article.
4. The measures referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article shall become effective when approved
by all the Contracting Parties whose representatives were entitled to participate in the meetings
held to consider those measures.

5. Any or all of the rights established in the present Treaty may be exercised as from the date of
entry into force of the Treaty whether or not any measures facilitating the exercise of such rights
have been proposed, considered or approved as provided in this Article.
Article X - Activities contrary to Treaty
Each of the Contracting Parties undertakes to exert appropriate efforts, consistent with the
Charter of the United Nations, to the end that no one engages in any activity in Antarctica
contrary to the principles or purposes of the present Treaty.
Article XI - Disputes between Parties
1. If any dispute arises between two or more of the Contracting Parties concerning the
interpretation or application of the present Treaty, those Contracting Parties shall consult among
themselves with a view to having the dispute resolved by negotiation, inquiry, mediation,
conciliation, arbitration, judicial settlement or other peaceful means of their own choice.
2. Any dispute of this character not so resolved shall, with the consent, in each case, of all parties
to the dispute, be referred to the International Court of Justice for settlement; but failure to reach
agreement on reference to the International Court shall not absolve parties to the dispute from the
responsibility of continuing to seek to resolve it by any of the various peaceful means referred to
in paragraph 1 of this Article.
Article XII - Modification and duration
1.a. The present Treaty may be modified or amended at any time by unanimous agreement of the
Contracting Parties whose representatives are entitled to participate in the meetings provided for
under Article IX. Any such modification or amendment shall enter into force when the
depositary Government has received notice from all such Contracting Parties that they have
ratified it.
b. Such modification or amendment shall thereafter enter into force as to any other Contracting
Party when notice of ratification by it has been received by the depositary Government. Any
such Contracting Party from which no notice of ratification is received within a period of two
years from the date of entry into force of the modification or amendment in accordance with the
provision of subparagraph 1(a) of this Article shall be deemed to have withdrawn from the
present Treaty on the date of the expiration of such period.
2.a. If after the expiration of thirty years from the date of entry into force of the present Treaty,
any of the Contracting Parties whose representatives are entitled to participate in the meetings
provided for under Article IX so requests by a communication addressed to the depositary
Government, a Conference of all the Contracting Parties shall be held as soon as practicable to
review the operation of the Treaty.
b. Any modification or amendment to the present Treaty which is approved at such a Conference
by a majority of the Contracting Parties there represented, including a majority of those whose
representatives are entitled to participate in the meetings provided for under Article IX, shall be
communicated by the depositary Government to all Contracting Parties immediately after the
termination of the Conference and shall enter into force in accordance with the provisions of
paragraph 1 of the present Article
c. If any such modification or amendment has not entered into force in accordance with the
provisions of subparagraph 1(a) of this Article within a period of two years after the date of its

communication to all the Contracting Parties,any Contracting Party may at any time after the
expiration of that period give notice to the depositary Government of its withdrawal from the
present Treaty; and such withdrawal shall take effect two years after the receipt of the notice by
the depositary Government.
Article XIII - Ratification and entry into force
1. The present Treaty shall be subject to ratification by the signatory States. It shall be open for
accession by any State which is a Member of the United Nations, or by any other State which
may be invited to accede to the Treaty with the consent of all the Contracting Parties whose
representatives are entitled to participate in the meetings provided for under Article IX of the
Treaty.
2. Ratification of or accession to the present Treaty shall be effected by each State in accordance
with its constitutional processes.
3. Instruments of ratification and instruments of accession shall be deposited with the
Government of the United States of America, hereby designated as the depositary Government.
4. The depositary Government shall inform all signatory and acceding States of the date of each
deposit of an instrument of ratification or accession, and the date of entry into force of the Treaty
and of any modification or amendment thereto.
5. Upon the deposit of instruments of ratification by all the signatory States, the present Treaty
shall enter into force for those States and for States which have deposited instruments of
accession. Thereafter the Treaty shall enter into force for any acceding State upon the deposit of
its instruments of accession.
6. The present Treaty shall be registered by the depositary Government pursuant to Article 102
of the Charter of the United Nations.
Article XIV - Deposition
The present Treaty, done in the English, French, Russian and Spanish languages, each version
being equally authentic, shall be deposited in the archives of the Government of the United
States of America, which shall transmit duly certified copies thereof to the Governments of the
signatory and acceding States.

The Antarctic Treaty Explained
The following text was adopted at the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting in Peru,
May/June 1999, as an introduction to the Antarctic Treaty, particularly for intending
visitors to the Antarctic:
Introducing the Antarctic Treaty
There are few places in the world where there has never been war, where the environment
is fully protected, and where scientific research has priority. But there is a whole
continent like this - it is the land the Antarctic Treaty parties call "... a natural reserve,
devoted to peace and science".
Part 1
At the southern end of our world, those who share the challenges of distance and cold to
visit the ice-bound continent have developed a tradition of warm cooperation. Such
cooperation, unique on this scale, is cemented by the Antarctic Treaty.
As a visitor to Antarctica, you will be privileged to enter this world. This document will
tell you a little about the Antarctic Treaty, and why it is a unique agreement - for a unique
place.
Background
The Antarctic continent is vast. It embraces the South Pole with permanent ice and snow.
It is encircled by floating barriers of ice, stormy seas and appalling weather. Its great
altitude chills the air to extremes, and its descent to sea level across a moving ice sheet
generates the world's strongest winds. The cycling seasons reveal the spectacular natural
forces of our planet. The surrounding seas teem with wildlife. And just 2% of this
continent is free of ice, allowing a small toe-hold for hardy animals and plants.
The weather and isolation dominate all who visit. The discovery and exploration of
Antarctica was shaped by the continent's remoteness and its extraordinarily inhospitable
environment. These factors combined for centuries to keep humans away from all but the
sub Antarctic islands and parts of the Southern Ocean where whaling and sealing took
place. In human historic terms, the land exploration of Antarctica is recent, most of it
being accomplished during the twentieth century.
The improved technology and knowledge of the last 100 years allowed greater access to
the continent, encouraging detailed surveying and research, and the gradual occupation of
Antarctica by scientific stations. By mid-century, permanent stations were being
established and planning was underway for the International Geophysical Year (IGY) in
1957-58, the first substantial multi-nation research program in Antarctica. By midcentury,
territorial positions had also been asserted, but not agreed, creating a tension that
threatened future scientific cooperation.

The IGY was recognized as pivotal to the scientific understanding of Antarctica. The
twelve nations active in Antarctica, nine of which made territorial claims or reserved the
right to do so, agreed that their political and legal differences should not interfere with the
research program. The outstanding success of the IGY led these nations to agree that
peaceful scientific cooperation in the Antarctic should continue indefinitely. Negotiation
of such an agreement, the Antarctic Treaty, commenced immediately after the IGY.
The Antarctic Treaty
The Antarctic Treaty was signed in Washington on 1 December 1959 by the twelve
nations that had been active during the IGY (Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile,
France, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, United Kingdom, United States and
USSR). The Treaty, which applies to the area south of 60° South latitude, is surprisingly
short, but remarkably effective. Through this agreement, the countries active in
Antarctica consult on the uses of a whole continent, with a commitment that it should not
become the scene or object of international discord. In its fourteen articles the Treaty:
Part 2
• stipulates that Antarctica should be used exclusively for peaceful purposes,
military activities, such as the establishment of military bases or weapons testing,
are specifically prohibited;
• guarantees continued freedom to conduct scientific research, as enjoyed during
the IGY;
• promotes international scientific cooperation including the exchange of research
plans and personnel, and requires that results of research be made freely available;
• sets aside the potential for sovereignty disputes between Treaty parties by
providing that no activities will enhance or diminish previously asserted positions
with respect to territorial claims, provides that no new or enlarged claims can be
made, and makes rules relating to jurisdiction;
• prohibits nuclear explosions and the disposal of radioactive waste;
• provides for inspection by observers, designated by any party, of ships, stations
and equipment in Antarctica to ensure the observance of, and compliance with,
the Treaty;
• requires parties to give advance notice of their expeditions; provides for the
parties to meet periodically to discuss measures to further the objectives of the
Treaty; and
• puts in place a dispute settlement procedure and a mechanism by which the Treaty
can be modified.
The Treaty also provides that any member of the United Nations can accede to it. The
Treaty now has 46 signatories, 28 are Consultative Parties on the basis of being original
signatories or by conducting substantial research there. Membership continues to grow. A
full list of the current parties to the Treaty appears at the end of this document.
Since entering into force on 23 June 1961, the Treaty has been recognized as one of the
most successful international agreements. Problematic differences over territorial claims
have been effectively set aside and as a disarmament regime it has been outstandingly

successful. The Treaty parties remain firmly committed to a system that is still effective
in protecting their essential Antarctic interests. Science is proceeding unhindered.
Since the first Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM) in 1961, the parties have
met frequently, now annually, to discuss issues as diverse as scientific cooperation,
measures to protect the environment, and operational issues - and they are committed to
taking decisions by consensus. This process has allowed the Antarctic Treaty to evolve
into a system with a number of components that meet the special needs of managing
activities in the Antarctic, while protecting national interests. This regime is now known
by the broader title of the Antarctic Treaty System, which operates under the umbrella of
the annual ATCM.
Part 3
The Antarctic Treaty System
The Antarctic Treaty System comprises the Treaty itself and a number of related
agreements. It also includes a range of organizations that contribute to the work of the
decision-making forums.
In addition to the related agreements (described below), the Treaty System includes the
recommendations, measures, decisions and resolutions of the Consultative Meetings
relating to matters such as:
• scientific cooperation;
• protection of the Antarctic environment;
• conservation of plants and animals;
• preservation of historic sites;
• designation and management of protected areas;
• management of tourism;
• information exchange;
• collection of meteorological data;
• hydrographic charting;
• logistic cooperation; and
• Communications and safety.
The Treaty Parties have put in place rules relating to specific issues. The development of
these agreements has allowed the implementation, with greater precision, of legally
binding provisions for the regulation of activities in Antarctica.
Related organizations
Apart from the legal instruments and measures outlined above, a number of specialized
bodies assist the Treaty parties in the conduct of their work. Specific tasks may be
directed to these bodies, or they may be invited to provide observers or experts to
participate in Treaty forums.

The Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) coordinates Antarctic research
programs and encourages scientific cooperation. Through its various subordinate groups
it is able to provide expert information on a range of disciplines and on the scientific
implications of operational proposals of the Treaty meetings.
The Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs comprises the heads of each of
the national Antarctic operating agencies. COMNAP meets annually to exchange logistic
information, encourage cooperation and develop advice to the Treaty parties on a range
of practical matters.
The Antarctic Treaty parties have also developed a close relationship with environmental
inter-governmental and non-government organizations that represent the broader
community interests in conservation. Organizations such as the International Union for
the Conservation of Nature, the United Nations Environment Program and the Antarctic
and Southern Ocean Coalition are also invited to the Treaty meetings as experts.
Part 4
Bodies with technical expertise relevant to the Treaty discussions also participate. They
include the International Hydrographic Organization, the World Meteorological
Organization and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission.
The International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators is an industry body
representing the interests of the growing tourist trade in Antarctica. Many tour operators
are affiliated with IAATO, which also provides experts to the annual Treaty meetings.
Conclusion
The Treaty provided that any party could call for a review conference after the expiration
of 30 years. No party has done so. In 1991, on the thirtieth anniversary of the Treaty, the
parties recognized the continuing strength and relevance of the Treaty by adopting a
declaration recording their determination to maintain and strengthen the Treaty and to
protect Antarctica's environmental and scientific values.
Under the Treaty, each party has enjoyed peaceful cooperation and freedom of scientific
research. That research has contributed significantly to knowledge of the Earth and is
contributing to the protection of the global environment. Environmental monitoring in
Antarctica has, for example, led to the discovery of the seasonal depletion of atmospheric
ozone over the Antarctic.
As the Antarctic Treaty System matures it has become recognized as one of the most
successful sets of international agreements, setting an example of peaceful cooperation
for the rest of the world.
As an environmental regime it is unique - an entire continent, which is essentially
undisturbed, will remain protected because of the commitment and cooperation of the
Treaty parties.

Jigsaw – Guide to the Antarctic Treaty
Name ________________________
Part 1. Give a brief overview of the background of the Antarctic Treaty.
- What concerns initiated the treaty process?
- What are some of the historical concerns?
Part 2. What is were some of the reasons for writing the Treaty.
- Give examples.
- Why are these reasons important?
Part 3. What are the goals of the Treaty?
- How does the treaty function
- Are there any penalties for not following the treaty>
Part 4. How do various organizations support the Treaty?
- How do the organizations regulate the Treaty?
- What are thoughts of scientists on the Treaty?
Overview: What are some unique accomplishments of ratifying the Antarctic Treaty?
- Explain how the Treaty can be improved.